Love Thy Neighbors
by bluecrush611
Summary: Amy Phillips has feelings for the leader of her group, Rick Grimes, but he isn't ready to return those feelings. When they enter Alexandria and she catches the attention of a certain former Navy Seal (Steve McGarrett), Rick will have to decide if he'd rather lose Amy completely - or share her with another man. Lots of smut - don't say I didn't warn you.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, readers! I spontaneously came up with this idea for a short story (probably will be less than ten chapters) and couldn't resist. I'll say it up front – this is just smutty goodness. I'm not setting out to write something super serious. I won't get into any deep emotions or the little details. It's just plain, raunchy fun – and two guys fighting over one girl – who doesn't love that? ;)**

**The first section should get you up to speed on my OC's back story. Hopefully she doesn't come across as a Sue but I'm not really going for story of the year here, haha. And if you're wondering, Rick and Lori were separated before the outbreak so Judith is not in the picture. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Amy Phillips, age 34, survived the outbreak with her younger cousin, Lauren. The women took shelter in various places over the course of two years and wound up crossing paths with Maggie and Glenn. They were brought back to the survivors' place of residence – a prison outside of Atlanta. _

_There they met Rick Grimes and his son, Carl. Rick is divorced. Amy likes Rick and wants to pursue him, but is not sure how to initiate anything._

_After a series of unfortunate events, the group leaves for a safe zone outside of Washington DC and are later welcomed in by Aaron, who had been watching them for some time as they neared Alexandria. _

_Our story begins in an empty house on the outskirts of Alexandria, as seen in episode 5.11._

* * *

Darkness continued to swathe Amy as she opened her eyes. The abandoned house creaked, settling around the group of survivors as they slept. Her eyes began to adjust and a figure stood out against a window at the front of the house. She stretched out her sore body – sleeping on the floor never did much for her – and walked quietly to the man keeping watch.

Rick heard someone approaching and turned to watch the petite brunette sit down next to him. He still didn't know much about her – they'd only known each other for about a month – but he knew she could be trusted. She was just trying to survive like everybody else and had proven her worth when it really mattered.

"Quiet night, huh?" she asked, pulling her sweater closed to ward off the chill in the air.

"Yeah," he said. His voice was low, rough – tired, and yet, alert. He wouldn't be dropping his guard anytime soon, especially with Alexandria so close.

A comfortable silence fell between them as they stared out the black window. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, admiring how pretty she looked even with disheveled hair and dirt on her face. They spoke a few words here and there, but primarily kept each other easy company.

About thirty minutes later, Rick felt her head drop onto his shoulder. He attempted to look at her face and saw that she had indeed fallen back asleep. She sagged against him and he brought his arm up to support her, curling it around her shoulders. She sighed and snuggled in closer to him. He liked being close to her, but didn't know if she was fully aware of what she was doing.

When she opened her eyes an hour later, they widened at the sudden close vicinity of his face. He watched her carefully, gauging her expression as she lifted her head and continued to stare at him. His body was stiff from holding her up, but he hardly noticed it anymore when she leaned in and brushed her soft lips against his. His heart kicked into overdrive, thumping wildly in his chest. She leaned in closer and kissed him with a little more force.

Rick gathered his wits through the fog in his brain and braced his hands on the outside of her arms. He urged her back and held her at arm's length.

"Amy…" he said, her name escaping as a tight croak and not the stern warning he was going for.

She looked at him with sad eyes, her lips parted as her chest rose and fell. He directed his gaze to the floor – she looked heartbroken – if he kept staring at her he would pull her into his arms and kiss her until the frown disappeared.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "but I can't do this. I need to focus on being a good father – or the best that I can be in our current situation. Protecting and providing for Carl is my only priority. I don't have room for a relationship."

Amy wanted to argue, to fight for him, but she knew it wasn't her place to compete against Carl. So, respecting his wishes, she backed off. "Okay…you're right. I'm sorry."

Embarrassed, she quickly stood and returned to her spot on the hard floor.

"Amy," Rick called after her in a harsh whisper, starting to regret his words already.

She didn't answer him.

* * *

The next morning, they made it to the gates of Alexandria. Aaron signaled to a man at the top of the wall and the gates began to open. Amy glanced at Rick as he stood on the defense beside Carl. Things were definitely awkward between them today. While she couldn't deny her attraction to him, she regretted kissing him the night before. It was a stupid, stupid move.

As they entered Alexandria, she moved her attention to the man that had opened the gates. Tall, with choppy, dark brown hair and a muscular build – not to mention, an incredibly handsome face – he looked like the type of guy you didn't want to make angry. He scowled as he watched the newcomers trickle in, but did a double-take when his blue eyes crossed over Amy. Briefly, his expression softened and a faint smile pulled at one corner of his mouth.

"Somebody looks interested," Lauren whispered into her ear.

Amy attempted to hide a blush – both from his sexy stare and her cousin's bold statement. "He's just being friendly."

Lauren smirked. "Keep telling yourself that."

Aaron proceeded to introduce the group to a woman named Deanna. She was a former congresswoman, and now the so called mayor of Alexandria. She welcomed them with a bright smile and natural – or perhaps, practiced – grace.

Once they had given up their weapons and undergone individual interviews, Aaron took them around to a row of empty houses. Amy and Lauren chose one together and hurried inside to clean up. After an hour of shaving, shampooing and scrubbing, the two women emerged, feeling like completely different people.

Carl passed them on the tidy street, looking clean himself but still sporting his shaggy hair.

"You should let me cut that," Lauren commented. "I used to be a hairdresser."

"No, thanks," Carl said. "I kinda like it now. My dad's gonna need some help though…"

"Where is he?" Amy asked, feigning only a slight interest.

Carl pointed to a gray house two down from theirs. "We're in that one. Pretty crazy, huh? These places are like mansions!"

The women agreed and waved goodbye as Carl moved along to find Daryl for his dad. They ascended the steps to the Grimes' house and Lauren knocked on the front door. Amy was admiring the orderly neighborhood when Rick answered. She turned her head and was met with the sight of bare skin. Shirtless and barefoot, he paused to rub some shaving cream from his beardless face. His wavy hair hung in wet strands, and Amy had to agree with Carl – the man needed a cut. He met her gaze and she tried to ignore the hard lines of his body, but she couldn't help it. He had the most wonderful arms and shoulders. She admired his chest and the dark color of his nipples. Her brain instantly imagined what it would be like to run her tongue over them, and she felt her face heat up.

While Amy diverted her eyes, Lauren seemed oblivious as she said, "Heard you could use a haircut. Interested?"

Rick cleared his throat and nodded. "Uh, yeah…just let me put on a shirt…"

_Please, don't_, she wanted to say, but knew it was probably for the best. Just the sight of him was turning her on.

While Lauren cut Rick's hair, Amy roamed around the open first floor. She studied the framed photographs and picked up random knickknacks.

Suddenly, a man asked, "You going to the party tonight?"

Amy spun around and locked eyes with Rick, who was looking sharp with his new haircut; Lauren hadn't lost her touch.

"I didn't know there was one. I guess so… Are you going?" she asked, trying not to sound hopeful.

He shrugged. "Probably… Carl really wants to, so I should be there, too."

"Yeah," she said with a shy smile. "I guess I'll see you there, then."

He looked like he wanted to say something, but the two women left before he could.

* * *

Decked out in a jade green wrap dress and tan pumps, Amy followed Lauren into the cocktail party. She felt out of sorts walking around in fancy clothes at a fancy house, but that was the norm here – she'd just have to try to get used to it.

Deanna offered each of the women a glass of white wine and introduced them to her husband. All the while, Amy could feel eyes on her and turned her head to see Rick staring from across the room. He glanced away and threw back the shot of bourbon in his short glass. She took a moment to appreciate how clean he looked in his white button-up and black jeans. Well, not just clean – add to that downright handsome.

"Excuse me," a husky voice said from next to Amy, redirecting her attention. It was the man she'd seen at the walls earlier, except this time he was wearing black slacks and a cobalt-colored button-up, which accented his deep blue eyes. "Hi, I'm Steve."

"Hi, Steve, I'm Amy," she said, shaking his strong, warm hand. The handshake lingered a bit longer as he gazed at her, and she could feel color rising into her cheeks.

"Well, Amy, welcome to Alexandria," he added, and prompted a toast of their glasses. He appeared to be drinking the same thing as Rick. They clinked glasses and looked at each other over the rims as they each took a sip.

"So how did you wind up here?" she asked. There was an obvious sexual tension between them and she intended to suppress it for as long as possible – or at least until she felt like acting on it.

"I was in Richmond visiting my little sister, Mary." He gestured to a strawberry blonde woman at the refreshment table. "And when things went bad, I got in contact with my former superior in DC—"

"Former superior?"

"I was a Lieutenant Commander in the Seals."

She nodded in understanding, suddenly more impressed by the man standing before her.

"So we made it there just in time to watch everything go to shit. We met Deanna, though – and then started on Alexandria. The woman had a vision and we made it happen."

"It's quite impressive," Amy commented. "You said you were visiting your sister? Where are you from?"

"Hawaii – Oahu, to be exact. I ran a special task force there."

"Sounds special," she said with a touch of awe in her voice.

Across the room, Rick watched New Guy chat with Amy. Occasionally, she would smile or laugh, the sweet sound like a knife twisting in his gut. At one point, the man covered her hand to take her wineglass for a refill, and he had to quell the urge to knock the man out.

On the subject of refills, Rick tossed back another bourbon – his third – and snuck one more shot from the crystal decanter nearby. He continued to observe Amy's interaction with New Guy as a frown settled between his brows.

Amy knew Rick was watching. He wasn't even trying to hide it. She was frustrated by his bipolar signals – he said he didn't want a relationship, but was acting awfully protective of her. Maybe he was wary of her trusting Steve – someone they didn't know. Or maybe he was…jealous?

To test the latter theory, while Steve told her an outrageous story from his days as a Seal, she laughed and rested a slender hand onto his solid forearm. Steve seemed to be eating it up, flashing his white grin that brought out the faint lines at the corners of his stunning eyes.

As she did this, she glanced at Rick and saw him flinch slightly and take another sip. Inwardly, she smiled, and then gave Steve her complete attention.

* * *

Lauren had left the party early, saying she was looking forward to sleeping in a real bed that night, so Amy walked home alone. Steve offered to accompany her, but she politely refused. She wanted to enjoy the night air by her lonesome, appreciating that she finally had the opportunity to do so without the threat of walkers.

She climbed the steps to her door and had to support herself on the railing on the way up. The wine had made her a little tipsy, but not too bad – just enough to enjoy herself. Someone cleared their throat from the porch swing a few feet away and Amy jumped. Peering through the darkness, she recognized Rick's defined cheekbones and pursed lips.

Raising a steady hand to her racing heart, she asked, "What are you doing here, Rick?"

The man pushed himself up from the seat and was directly in front of her in three determined strides. She backed away, and he stepped toward her until she had her back against the vinyl siding. He trapped her with his arms, holding them on either side of her head. His eyes glittered from the moonlight that reflected off the white house.

"Rick?" she whispered again, the defiance she'd felt earlier weakening.

He lightly wet his full lips and leaned in, hovering just over her parted mouth. The smell of bourbon was strong on his warm breath. He was waiting for her to close the remaining distance, but she refused to give in. _He'd_ turned _her_ down – she wouldn't give him the satisfaction this time around.

That mindset crumbled when he boldly reached into the V-neck of her dress, moved under her bra, and fondled the full weight of her breast within his rough palm. Amy's nostrils flared and her chest heaved. His fingers kneaded the tender flesh and then honed in on her soft nipple, pinching and tugging it to a hard peak. She winced at the combination of pleasure and pain, and released a throaty moan.

At that moment, Rick dipped his head and covered her mouth with his own. Electricity zipped through her veins on contact, igniting the air around them. He ravaged her mouth with unforgiving kisses and slid his tongue between her lips, acting with expert skill. Amy clawed at his crisp shirt, savoring the firm muscles underneath. He pushed his hips into the cleft at the top of her thighs. She could feel an obvious bulge pressing against his jeans and the thin material of her dress.

Lust coursed through her aching body, but that telltale bulge brought on a sudden wave of anger. She pushed at his chest, and yet, he didn't stop kissing her.

"_Rick, stop,"_ she bit off against his demanding mouth. When he still didn't, she turned her head to the side. This only allowed him easy access to her neck, which he began kissing with the same fervor as her lips. A gasp escaped from her mouth.

"Rick," she said on another involuntary moan. She had meant for it to be an indication for him to stop, but it only drove him to keep going.

Finally, she pushed through the unyielding lust and shoved him backward. He staggered back, bumping into the post behind him. He braced himself and glowered at her with glassy eyes.

"You told me you didn't want me," she accused on a breathless whisper.

"I never said that," he muttered, shaking his head and casting his eyes to the ground.

"More or less," she shot back. "I made a move and you shut me down, Rick. How dare you get _plastered_ and come here with the intention of an easy hook-up. You and I both know you'd regret it in the morning."

"And what about you?" he asked, raising his chin.

"That's not the point," she said with a glare, and before he could reply, turned around to go inside. "Good night, Rick."

With that, she shut the door behind her and locked it.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Read and review, please! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, I'm overwhelmed by your response! I love me some Grimes and McGarrett, but I had no idea so many people would be interested in this short story. Thank you to the following for leaving lovely reviews: rocknrollprincess131, WishfulThinker66, mrsreedus69, PsychoBeachGirl88, Guest, angelicedg, Littlefirequeen, and lollipop2404.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

In the morning, Rick was greeted by a raging headache. He'd almost been graced with no memory of the night before, but unfortunately, it all came back to him in one giant tidal wave of regret. Amy's upset expression had been quite sobering – there was no forgetting it.

On the other hand, he was happy to remember everything before that. He would've had her right there on the porch, had she let him. He found the thought disturbing. He'd always considered himself a gentleman when it came to women, but something in Amy brought out his animalistic side – it kind of scared him a little bit.

Putting her out of his mind and getting on with his day, he met with Deanna to discuss his new job. She made him the constable with a badge, handcuffs – the works. He accepted the responsibility, but wanted to have a private chat with Daryl. He felt uneasy about the arrangement – it didn't make sense to put a stranger in such a high position of power.

The two men met outside of the walls, keeping a low profile as they entered the woods. Daryl said he wanted to do some hunting, so it was the perfect excuse if someone came asking questions. They spent about an hour walking around and expressing their concerns. As they neared the south wall, Daryl stopped Rick and pointed to something.

"Looks like somebody's gettin' friendly with the locals."

Rick watched as Amy stood in close proximity to Steve, a flirtatious smile gracing her radiant face. Steve was smiling back while she stroked his bare arm. Rick clenched his jaw until it hurt and settled a restless hand on his gun belt.

Meanwhile, Amy was enjoying a quiet moment with Steve, who had invited her out for a perimeter sweep. Although, she suspected it was more for some alone time – which she certainly did not oppose. She was still furious about Rick's behavior the night before and desperately needed to take her mind off of it.

Steering the subject toward something of her own interest, she asked, "What kind of love life did you have before all of this?"

Steve shifted his assault rifle to one side and said, "I was never really much of a relationship guy. I didn't have time with my job."

"So you had hookups?" she asked in a forward manner.

Steve half smiled and her heart did a little flip at the sight. "No, not even that. There was one woman I dated for a while, but yet again, work got in the way."

She eyed his outfit – gray cargo pants, boots, and a black t-shirt – and felt herself get weak at the thought of the hard body underneath.

"That isn't much of an issue now, huh?" she commented as she reached over and caressed his arm with her fingertips.

Steve licked his lips and gazed at her intently, studying her face. Suddenly, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and let out a soft chuckle. "I've been trying, but for the life of me can't figure out what color your eyes are. Last night, I was sure they were green, but today, they look blue."

Amy hid a blush from his intense stare and said, "They're blue. I think my green dress exaggerated them a little bit last night."

Steve nodded and said quietly, "I liked that dress by the way." _And everything underneath it_, she imagined from the look in his eyes.

While she pondered this, he reached up and cradled her cheek with his large, masculine hand. He leaned in and covered her mouth with his own, coaxing hers open until she allowed his tongue inside. The slippery, yet rough, sensation as their tongues mingled was enough to make her knees quake. She wound her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through the short, crisp hairs at his nape. Steve kissed her deeply, pulling her lithe body against him, and then she could _really_ feel what was underneath all that clothing. Her breaths came quicker as her carnal side made itself known. All she could think about was being naked under him.

"When was the last time you were with a woman?" she whispered out of the blue, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Steve kept his forehead tipped against hers as he continued to hold her close and said, "Honestly, it was the woman I dated in Hawaii."

"You expect me to believe you've gone all this time without one reckless night under your belt?"

"No…but it's the truth," he said, and she could hear the sincerity in his voice. "And what about you? Anyone keep you warm within the past two years?" he asked with a raised brow.

Amy thought of Rick, but they hadn't slept together – and weren't going to. She shook her head in reply.

"See? I'm not the only one," he said, his eyes teasing. "So, what do you say we do this right?" He took her hands within his own and gazed into her dark blue eyes. "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

"You're going to cook for me?" she asked in astonishment; no man had ever done that for her.

"Of course."

She gave him a wide grin. "Then it's a date."

* * *

That evening, Rick was out patrolling the neighborhood, but mostly just needed to clear his head. He especially wanted to clear his head of the image of Steve kissing Amy. Daryl had been mid-sentence, making some crude comment about the two of them hooking up, when he'd simply walked away without a word. He'd seen and heard enough – he couldn't take another second of the intimate embrace. Amy was _his_. She may not have known it, but he knew she certainly _wanted_ it. She'd all but said it the night before.

_Fuck responsibility._

That was what his brain said when he began to contest the thought of a relationship with her. He could still be a good father and have Amy, too – it really was much simpler than he'd imagined.

Going with his gut – and every other part of his anatomy – he marched to her door and knocked. To his disappointment, Lauren appeared on the other side.

"Hey, Rick, everything okay?"

"Yeah…uh, is Amy here?" he asked, anxiously shifting his feet.

"No, she's having dinner with Steve, but I'll be sure to tell her that you stopped by," she responded with a smile.

Rick tensed up, but did his best to hide it from the woman. He thanked her anyway and took off down the steps. A new level of anger burned through him now. His mission hadn't changed, but his tactics had. He had every intention of showing Steve that she belonged to him – in whatever way was necessary.

When he approached Steve's house two blocks over, it was sometime after dinner, and he could tell that when he climbed the porch steps; the blinds were open, showcasing Amy and Steve on the couch with two glasses of red wine. He didn't even stop to knock and merely barged in. The couple jumped at his sudden presence and Steve blocked her somewhat with his body for protection.

"_What the hell, Rick?"_ Amy exclaimed, slamming down her wineglass on the coffee table.

"I need to talk to you," he said in a rough voice.

She eyed him warily as Steve said, "Excuse me, but we're kind of in the middle something. Can it wait?"

"_No_, it _can't_," Rick snapped.

Amy didn't move from her spot and Steve turned to take in her troubled expression. Then, he faced Rick once more. "I don't think she wants to talk to you."

"I don't care what you think. I came here for her…" Rick glared menacingly at the other man.

Steve rose and crossed the room to hold open the front door. "It's time for you to leave, Rick."

"No, you don't tell me what to do." He took a step toward Amy and held out his hand. "Come on, Amy."

Steve laid a hand on Rick's shoulder and started to say in a stern voice, "Okay, that's enough…"

Rick spun around, driving his fist straight into Steve's jaw. The man recoiled and then came back, throwing a wicked right hook. Rick crashed into a nearby lamp and it shattered on the hardwood floor. Steve lunged at him and they landed in a heap on the Oriental rug.

As they threw more punches, Amy jumped to her feet.

"ENOUGH!"

The two men froze and raised their eyes to the frustrated brunette.

"As much as I like having you both fight over me, this has to stop." She huffed out a breath. Neither man was bloodied from the fight, but their eyes were blazing. Their chests heaved from exertion and adrenaline. They were willing to go to great lengths for her, as they'd just demonstrated so brutally in Steve's living room. An idea sparked in her mind – a crazy idea, but she was feeling just bold enough to present it. Clearing away the tightness in her throat, she said, "Really, there are only two options, but to be honest, I only like the second one…"

"What are they?" asked Steve, giving Rick a little shove as he pushed to his feet.

"The first is we all pretend that we don't have these feelings for each other and move on."

"What's the second?" Rick asked, clearly intrigued as he stood next to Steve.

"You both have me."

"Like…at the same time?" Steve.

"And for more than just a night?" Rick.

Swallowing her fear of the unknown, she said, "If- if that's what you want."

Steve took a step forward and bored his eyes into hers. "And what do you want?"

She bit her lip in anticipation as heat exploded in her low belly. The words came out breathy. "Anything you both can give me."

The two men exchanged a look, reaching some kind of mutual agreement in that moment. They may not have liked the idea of sharing Amy, but it was better than not having her at all. It was a new world – perfect for making new rules.

* * *

**A/N: I don't think either guy would actually go for this, but I had to have a little fun. You all probably know what's going to happen in the next chapter… :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you to my awesome reviewers: angelicedg, rocknrollprincess131, mrsreedus69 (haha!), WishfulThinker66, and lollipop2404. I know you guys have been excited for this chapter. I will say, it's a tad, uh, cruder than my usual stuff, but that's kind of hard to avoid in this situation. ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Let's go, then," Steve said as he offered a hand to the brunette.

"Right now?" she asked, feeling ridiculously nervous all of a sudden.

"Why not? I think Rick will reiterate my feelings that I don't think I can go another five minutes without being inside of you."

Amy gulped and glanced at Rick, who raised his eyebrows in agreement, nodding with a slight smirk. After taking a deep, shaky breath, she accepted Steve's hand and allowed him to lead her up the staircase, Rick trailing directly behind. They walked down the hallway and entered the room at the end. As Rick closed the door, Amy admired the clean, white coverlet on Steve's king-size bed. Windows lined two of the walls and Steve quickly pulled the curtains closed. At the same time, Rick lit a candle on the dresser. She noticed that the bedroom walls were gray with the occasional painting of a beach – his way of holding onto some part of Hawaii, she supposed.

Turning around, Steve gazed at Amy with tender eyes as he began to unbutton her silk blouse. Her heart pounded like never before – it was actually making it hard for her to breathe. He must have felt it through the thin material because he stopped to lay a hand on her chest.

"Just relax, sweetheart. If you want us to stop at any time, don't hesitate to say so. Okay?"

She didn't trust herself to get out a single word so she just nodded. Rick came up behind her, settled his hands on her hips, and nuzzled his face into her long hair. He inhaled her flowery scent and pressed his lips to the spot behind her ear. Steve finished with her blouse and opened it to expose her black, lacy bra – something she'd raided from the clothing pantry. He pushed the silky garment past her shoulders and Rick moved it the rest of the way down, letting it fall off her wrists and pool at their feet.

He reached around to start on the button of her jeans, but Steve forced his hands away and took over. Amy noticed the competitive gesture, but let it go. She was too focused on controlling her wild heartbeat. Steve popped the button and undid the fly, and then Rick slid his calloused hands down her sides, removing everything on her bottom half in one smooth movement. Chilly air assaulted her heated skin, but did little to cool it. She stepped out of her pants and Steve's eyes glittered as they roamed over her almost naked body.

"Fuck, you're gorgeous…" he whispered.

She blushed, heard a rustling behind her and saw that Rick was taking off his jacket, shirt and tie. She faced Steve once again and watched him remove his dark t-shirt, exposing the chiseled body underneath. She'd seen Rick shirtless the day before and even though he was leaner, they were both quite cut – she had no complaints for either of them.

Right when Steve bent to kiss her, Rick reached around, cupped her jaw, and forced her head to the side so she would kiss him instead. His mouth moved over hers with unforgiving vigor and he delved his tongue inside to savor her sweet taste.

To make up for Rick's payback, Steve curved an arm around Amy's back and undid the clasp on her bra. After sliding the straps down her arms, he dropped to his knees and took her left breast into his hand, flattening and then flicking his tongue over her rosy nipple. He tugged on it with his teeth, all the while gripping her hip with his large hand.

Feeling two tongues moving over and in her was a heady sensation. She released a moan into Rick's mouth as wetness dampened the tight curls at her core. Steve switched to the other side and attacked the hardened peak with his hot mouth, pulling another moan from deep in her throat. Rick settled a hand on her free breast, but Steve pushed it away, fondling the warm flesh within his own palm. Amy scoffed and stepped back from both men.

"This isn't a competition," she said in a hoarse voice. "I belong to _both_ of you now – that was the deal." She looked between the two men, meeting each set of blue eyes before continuing. "I have an idea…a game of sorts."

Rick quickly licked his lips and raised his brows. "A _game_?"

"Something that will make it so you each get a turn." She paused and said, "I'll close my eyes, you'll take turns with me, and then I'll guess who is who."

"What are we allowed to do?" Steve asked, all the while his gaze eating her up.

Amy swallowed hard before saying, "Anything you want…"

The men glanced at each other, shrugged, and then nodded in agreement. Steve picked up Rick's tie from the floor and reached for Amy's hand.

"Come here," he said.

Adrenaline surged through her veins again as he spun her around and draped the tie over her eyes, knotting it snugly behind her head. All of a sudden, he scooped her into his strong arms and carried her to the bed. He placed her in the middle of the mattress and she heard a clicking noise, like something metal shifting around. Rick's cold handcuffs clasped around her petite wrists and locked into place. She tugged gently to confirm that they were in fact secured to the headboard.

Nothing happened for a few beats and her chest heaved in response. She was completely at their mercy – what the hell had she gotten herself into?

Just when she was going to ask if everything was okay, a mouth ghosted over her parted lips. Whoever it was had abrasive stubble, but that told her nothing since Rick had shaved his beard and now they both had stubble. Instead, she went with taste. She swept her tongue into his mouth and knew exactly who it was from the mixture of coffee and mint.

"Rick," she whispered.

The mouth smiled. "You're good," he said in his deep drawl.

The mattress shifted and another set of lips kissed her deeply, tasting sweet like wine.

"Mmm, Steve," she responded.

"Too easy," he said.

That was when things got interesting. A hand moved over her thigh and then another did the same on the other side, pulling her legs apart. As someone rubbed their fingertips against the slippery bundle of nerves between her thighs, a wet mouth moved over the swell of her right breast. She gasped from the duel sensations and tried to focus on them one at a time, but when two fingers – separate from the ones on her clit – pushed into her, she lost all train of thought. They drove deep, stretching her and drawing out another moan. She squirmed her hips and a firm hand held her down.

"Want to guess who's doing what?" Steve asked, sounding slightly winded.

Amy took a breath and said, "I think…_Steve_ is the one fingering me. Rick is teasing my clit…"

"Strike one," Rick said, pushing his fingers into her once more.

She gasped as Steve whispered in her ear, "But I have to say, Amy, you have got the most beautiful pussy…"

His bold statement sent licks of fire down into her low belly. Steve kissed her neck and Rick pulled his fingers out of her. A mouth replaced them, licking and sipping at the sensitive little bud aching for a release. She let out mewls of satisfaction, before finally saying on a moan, "Steve…"

The person stopped. "How'd you know?" he asked in his usual husky voice.

"I just…did." To tell the truth, she'd felt him shift from the top of the bed to the bottom. He was a big guy – there was no sneaking around for him.

Only a moment later, hot breath blew against the same spot, followed by full, gentle lips. Immediately, she knew it was Rick and she sighed out his name.

He murmured a "Mhmm," and continued to delve his tongue inside of her.

While that was happening, one of them dipped their finger into her pussy and then dragged the liquid heat to her nether region. Little by little, they pushed a thick finger into the puckered opening. Amy hissed out a breath and Steve asked, "Okay? I'll stop if it hurts…"

"No," she whispered. "It feels good."

Steve had a hint of a smile as he said, "Well, that's good because one of us is going to have our cock in there before the night's over. I just want to prepare you for it…"

Amy had never tried anal sex. It was something she'd considered doing with her ex-boyfriend years ago, but had never worked up the nerve. Tonight, she was more than willing to go there with Rick and Steve. Especially since it meant she could have them at the same time. Just the thought of it turned her on like never before, so the actual act could possibly kill her, but _fuck_ would it be worth it.

The clink of a belt caught her off guard and she heard the guys murmur something unintelligible. Suddenly, someone lifted her hips and then plunged into her, driving to the hilt. She cried out and it tapered off to a moan as the man worked her over. She continued to make cut-off sounds of pleasure, barely able to breathe. She tugged at the handcuffs but they remained firmly in place. She squeezed her thighs around the man's hips and listened when he exhaled a short breath as he pumped in and out. Her lips curled into a smile when she finally acknowledged who it was.

"Oh, Rick…" she moaned. "Leave a little for Steve, will ya?"

Rick released a faint chuckle and slowed his pace. He gently pulled out and she heard Steve shuck his pants. The mattress dipped and she waited for him to settle between her legs, but for some reason it didn't happen.

"Turn over," he said. She hesitated and he added, "You already knew it was gonna be me, so let's try something different."

He was right about that, so following his order – he was a Commander after all – Amy shifted onto her side and flipped over with the guys' help. Her hands were still locked in place, but the chain twisted and allowed the new position. She pulled back on it, ignoring the sting in her wrists as she bent down and arched her back. Steve placed a hand on either side of her hips, held on tightly and thrust. A moan ripped from her throat. The different angle felt utterly amazing and she didn't think she could last much longer.

Right when she was about to reach the peak of that oblivion, Steve pulled out. He smoothed a hand over her round ass and asked at her ear, "What do ya say you give us both a go now?"

His expert fingers undid the tie and he slipped it off her head. At the same time, Rick unlocked the cuffs. He took her red wrists into his hands and looked at her with worried eyes.

"Did we hurt you?"

Amy gave him a sweet smile and shook her head. She didn't like seeing him concerned at a time like this, so she leaned in and gave him a tender kiss. When she turned away, Steve was waiting patiently and she felt like maybe the game had killed their competitive streak – for now.

Wanting to keep it that way, she approached the broad-shouldered man and kissed him as well. His burly arms slithered around to her backside and lifted her so that her legs wrapped around his waist. He sat down on the edge of the bed and lay back, allowing her to straddle him. His eyes sparkled in the dimly lit room, surrounded by dark lashes as he gazed up at her. He'd turned out to be a little more aggressive than Rick in the sack – not much – but she couldn't say she was surprised. At that moment, though, all she could see was a man that truly cared and wanted what was best for her. If that happened to be a mind-blowing climax, so be it.

Slowly, Amy eased down onto him, taking his substantial length into her wet pussy. Behind her, Rick stroked his hard cock and spit into his palm to get as much lubrication going as he could. She looked down at Steve and saw absolute reverence in his eyes, extinguishing any second thoughts she might have been having. He braced his large hands on her ass, spreading her cheeks to give Rick easier access and a firm grip for his own thrusting. She felt Rick probing the tight entrance and instinctively tensed up.

"You gotta relax, Amy," Rick whispered, caressing her back. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No," she protested. "Go ahead."

"Kiss me. It'll distract you," Steve said and tipped his chin up.

Amy closed the space between them, fusing their bodies together. She felt the crisp hairs of his chest rub abrasively against her breasts and she didn't think she'd experienced a better sensation. She laced her fingers through his short hair and kissed him senseless as Rick started to penetrate her. He took his time and just before he breached, she scrunched up her face and whimpered into Steve's mouth.

Finally, Rick had his entire dick sheathed in the snug opening and she let out a shuddering breath.

"You good?" Steve asked.

"Yeah…"

With that, Rick began to move in and out, placing his hand on her back for support. They developed a good rhythm – Steve would draw her down onto himself and by doing so, withdraw her from Rick. Then Rick would pull her hips back, lifting her from Steve.

Any remaining discomfort ebbed and was replaced by blinding desire. Never in her entire life had she felt something _so_ good – not to mention, full. Neither man was insignificant, but while being passionate, they were still gentle with her. She appreciated that and it was not put past her.

When the pleasure climbed to new heights, Steve reached between their bodies and rubbed her clit in smooth circles. It was as if her body exploded from the inside out. She sobbed, digging her short nails into Steve's shoulder and Rick's side as she reached back for him. The men took that as their cue and crested the same pinnacle, spilling their seed inside of her.

Rick slumped over her and then slowly extracted himself. He stepped into the bathroom for a minute to clean himself up, leaving Amy in Steve's arms. As she began to feel him soften, he brushed a damp lock of hair out of her eyes and lifted his head to kiss her with complete tenderness.

When Rick returned to the bed, Amy rolled over, placing herself between the two men. They lay in an exhausted state as they caught their breath.

"For such a small thing, you sure can take a lot," Rick said with a playful smirk while stroking her bare thigh.

"I second that statement. You took that like a champ," Steve said, blowing out a breath.

Amy giggled and bit her bottom lip as she fought off a deep blush. While matting down her wild her, she said shyly, "Why, thank you… It was hard work – thanks for giving me the job."

* * *

**A/N: Hope I made you blush! Hehe... Review, please! :D  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Yay! I'm so glad you all enjoyed that last chapter as much as I did! Haha… Thank you to my reviewers for the awesome feedback: mrsreedus69, PsychoBeachGirl88 (lol!), angelicedg, lollipop2404, rocknrollprincess131, and WishfulThinker66.**

**Hope you enjoy this one just as much! ;)**

* * *

Amy awoke to a dark room, but moonlight filtered through a gap in the curtains and shapes began to take form around her. Peepers chirped loudly outside, their chorus wafting in on a soft breeze from an open window. The familiar rhythm of slow, comfortable breathing was barely noticeable as it expelled from the large mass beside her. She glanced over her shoulder and recognized Steve's handsome features. He was sound asleep on his back, and the gradual rise and fall of his chest said so. She heard a rustle on her opposite side and was then aware of a heavy hand on her waist. She redirected her gaze and came face-to-face with Rick, his eyes glistening in the obscure darkness. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he brushed a strand of chestnut hair away from her forehead.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered.

Amy's heart skipped a beat and warmth spread throughout her chest. "You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that…"

Rick's smile widened and he closed the space between them, his full lips meeting hers in a languid motion that took her breath away. She melted under his touch and into him as he pulled her naked body flush against his. She wound her smooth leg around his hair-roughened thigh, allowing his hard knee to part her legs.

"What are we doing?" she asked breathlessly, referring to the wild night that continued to leave her astounded.

"I don't know," he replied as they nuzzled noses, "but the next time I have you, I'll be looking into your eyes…just like this."

Amy captured his mouth once more and moved over him to straddle his bare hips. Sliding her hand down his strong chest and taut abs, she grasped his hard length and guided it to the warm opening at the center of her core.

Rick swallowed her small frame in his arms and stroked his rough hands over her soft skin. She felt like heaven – it had been far too long since he'd held a woman like this. When she began to surround him with her slick, velvet heat, he sighed into her open mouth. Her eyes were hooded now, drunk with passion. She lifted her hips again and then sunk down, burying him deep inside her.

The rocking motion of her hips made Rick dare a look in Steve's direction, but the other man had not moved. The mattress was covered with some type of memory foam, the kind in those commercials where the woman would put a glass of wine on one side and then jump on the other without spilling it – _yeah_, that kind. Without it he wouldn't have dreamed of touching Amy while Steve slept next to them – and because of it, he made his next move.

While still ravaging her hot mouth, Rick secured his hand between her shoulder blades. He then overpowered her, forcing Amy onto her back. He thrust deep and she cried out, the sound muffled by his tongue as it expertly explored between her parted lips. She dug her heels into the backs of his legs while her hands threaded frantically through his short, wavy locks. He drove into her again, harder than before, feeling carried away with lust for the woman beneath him.

Amy glanced at Steve, who remained in his original position. Her only thought was that she really must have worn him out – the poor guy. She smirked.

Meeting Rick's hungry gaze, she demanded in a breathless whisper, "Come for me, come _inside_ me – I wanna feel it, baby."

Desire swelled in his low belly, the sensation like a drug. With a few more thrusts, he obliged her, his gasps of pleasure now swallowed by her seeking mouth. A moment later, Amy followed him, whimpering as her inner walls clenched around him.

Rick lifted his head from the warm curve of her shoulder and stared into her eyes, which glittered in the dim moonlight.

"I'm sorry," he said, keeping his voice low, as not to wake the other inhabitant of their bed.

Amy's brows pulled together in confusion. "Sorry for what?"

"For taking so long to tell you how I really feel, _and_ for trying the first time while I was drunk," he said with a soft chuckle.

She smiled. "I forgive you."

Reaching up, she cradled the back of his neck and tugged him down to meet her lips. They kissed slowly, the pace not at all matching their hurried rhythm only moments before.

When Rick finally pulled away, he gave her a gentle smile and then glanced at the watch on his wrist.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Just after midnight… I should go," he said, his words dampening the mood.

"Do you have to?"

He chuckled again. "As much as it pains me to leave you here with Steve, I need to get back. Carl will start to wonder where I am."

Amy sighed in defeat. "Okay…but can I see you tomorrow?" she asked, her voice hopeful.

"Alexandria's a small place – I think you'd see me even if you didn't want to," he retorted.

She laughed quietly and pressed one more kiss to his lips. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

After watching him dress, she reached over to something on the bedside table and said with a playful glimmer in her eyes, "Constable?"

He paused with his hand on the doorknob.

"Don't forget your handcuffs."

* * *

Steve opened his bleary eyes on a relaxed sigh, reaching across the expansive mattress to caress the woman next to him, but was met with a handful of cool sheets. He lifted his head and glanced at the empty bed. Disappointment niggled in his chest, but a faint sound grabbed his attention. Recognizing the noise of running water, he smiled as the disappointment morphed into an eagerness in his low belly. He couldn't wait to taste Amy on his lips again and feel her soft skin underneath his masculine hands.

Swinging his feet onto the floor, he padded across the carpet and pushed open the ajar bathroom door. Steam billowed around him and then cleared enough for him to see the feminine shape beyond a wall of water-streaked glass. Already nude, he pulled open the shower door and feasted upon the sight of Amy's naked body, wet and covered in a soapy lather. She squeaked in surprise at the sudden intrusion, but quickly relaxed, an expectant smile gracing her flushed face.

"I was wondering if you'd find your way in Commander…" she murmured as he shut the door and reached out to slide his hands over her slick thighs.

"Oh I'll have no problem finding my way in," he whispered suggestively, rubbing behind her ear with his nose. Water cascaded over his chilled skin and he relished the instant warmth. He circled his arms around her waist and simply let his hands wander, enjoying the slippery sensation of her round ass.

Amy tipped her head back to rinse the remaining conditioner from her dark hair, and while doing so, Steve brushed his fingertips over her pink nipples. Her stomach clenched as he brought them to hard little peaks before taking one into his greedy mouth. She moaned quietly, bringing her head forward to watch him. He glanced up at her, his sapphire-colored eyes darkening with hunger. He slid a hand up the inside of her thigh and lightly grazed the dampening folds at her center with his forefinger. Her hips bucked slightly and she continued to watch him, biting her bottom lip in anticipation. He slipped the finger into her heated opening and then swept the desire pooled there toward the soft nub at her core.

Amy's delicate hands clutched his wide shoulders as he continuously circled her nipple with his tongue and copied the same movement with his finger on her over-stimulated clit. Whimpers echoed harshly against the glass walls, competing with the constant rush of water over them. Another moan escaped from her open mouth, but she quickly silenced it as the pleasure built.

"No need to be quiet, babe," Steve said, his husky voice strained. "I want to hear you come undone…" He licked his lips and watched her eyes flutter closed as her breathing hastened.

The orgasm was quick and violent, drawing high-pitched cries from the back of her throat. Her legs shook and she held onto him for support.

"Look at me, Amy. Open your eyes," he urged.

Her eyes flashed open and locked with his as she continued to cry out for a moment, until every part of her relaxed and she sagged against him. Steve caught her with a strong arm around her waist. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her parted lips, enjoying the feel of her in his arms – vibrating and wrung out.

He placed a hand behind her knee and lifted one of her legs to his hip. His growing arousal teased at her pussy, which was now drenched from her release. Before he could go any further, though, she placed one hand on his chest and the other around his cock. Steve swallowed hard, his balls tightening as she drew away from him enough to drop to her knees.

First, she stroked him – slow but sure in her movements. Then, she dragged her tongue along his full length, starting at the base and moving to the tip. A short groan of lust and impatience rumbled in his chest. He watched with pleasure when she finally took him into her mouth. She worked him with her tongue and teeth, teasing and sucking at a casual pace. He swept the damp coils of hair away from her pretty face so he could see her better. He wanted a clear visual of his girl at work, perhaps something he could save for later if he found himself lonely and aroused.

Amy raked her fingernails up the inside of his solid thigh as her other hand circled the base of his shaft. Desire built steadily within him, and he found himself knotting his fingers in her wet hair to urge her head closer. He hit the back of her throat and she faltered, making an abrupt noise around him. However, she quickly recovered, taking him deeper once more as her gaze flicked up to meet his. That look was all it took for him to lose it.

Coming hard, he squeezed his eyes shut and gasped, before expelling a series of ragged breaths from his broad chest. Amy pulled away, licking her swollen lips as she watched him come down from his high. While he caught his breath, a smile played at the corners of his mouth. He raised his eyebrows and glanced at Amy when she rose to her feet.

"You are far too good at that," he whispered, tugging her close for a lazy kiss.

A ruddy blush appeared on her cheeks and she avoided his eyes as she said slowly, "You were my first…"

Steve scoffed. "You're kidding."

She gave him a faint smile and shrugged. "I wanted to do it for my last boyfriend but he said he didn't like it."

Steve's eyes widened. "Had he ever _tried_ it?"

Amy laughed. "That was my question!" She paused thoughtfully. "I've had a lot of firsts in the past twelve hours. If this world has taught me anything, it's to be more open-minded and less afraid of the unknown."

"Well, hey, I don't mind reaping the benefits of your philosophy…among other things," he retorted with a grin.

After another kiss under the humid spray, Amy stepped out of his grasp, heading for the door.

"I'll go start some coffee for us. You should probably get cleaned up before you run out of hot water," she said. "You on the wall today?"

"Yeah, in about an hour," he said as reality came crashing back down. He was disappointed that they couldn't spend the day in bed.

"Okay, I'll see you downstairs."

Ten minutes later, Steve descended the stairs dressed in an army green button-up with the sleeves rolled to the elbow, and a pair of tan cargo pants. Amy maneuvered around the kitchen in her clothes from the night before – wrinkles be damned. The scent of French Roast coffee hung in the air and she handed him a mug as he entered the room.

"That was quick," she said with an amused smile.

"I stick to my three-minute Navy showers, that is…when I'm not distracted."

Amy's smile widened and she got on her tip-toes to exchange a pleasant kiss with the tall man before her. A knock on the front door broke them apart and they glanced over to see Rick waiting on the other side.

* * *

Watching Amy and Steve smooch blissfully during their 'morning after' ritual did not sit well with Rick. He understood that they'd made a deal, but he was man enough to admit that he envied Steve. The former Seal got Amy in his bed for the entire night, and judging by their damp hair, his shower, too.

Steve crossed the living room and opened the door for Rick, stepping back to allow him inside. He wore his constable uniform, and hoped to do a better job on patrol than he had the night before, though, this stop wouldn't help his cause.

"I'm sorry to intrude…" he began.

"Not at all," Steve said. "Do you want some coffee?"

"Sure," Rick replied, unzipping his jacket as he took a seat at the kitchen island where Amy was preparing a cup. "I'm glad you're here," he said, his gaze soft on her. "There's something we all need to talk about."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you to my lovely reviewers: angelicedg, WishfulThinker66, mrsreedus69, rocknrollprincess131, and lollipop2404. This chapter is not as yummy – mostly just talking, but it's necessary to move the story forward. My life seems to be getting busier as the weather gets warmer so I'll try to update when I can. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Coils of nervousness and anticipation twisted uncomfortably in Amy's stomach. What could Rick want to talk about? Was he regretful about what had transpired the night before? Was he going to retreat from his tender words and leave her to be with Steve, and Steve alone? Just the thought formed a lump in her throat. It wasn't natural to have two partners, but she had feelings for the both of them. She wasn't ready to be faced with the decision of picking one.

"What about?" Steve asked the constable, and took a sip of hot coffee. He didn't seem as stressed as she did.

Rick folded his hands on the white countertop. "How we're going to carry out our arrangement in public."

Amy quietly released the breath she'd been holding and offered Rick a relaxed smile. He returned it with a certain suggestive sparkle in his stunning blue eyes. The small action made her heart pump a little faster.

"I don't think everyone will be as accepting as us…" Steve concurred, as if the thought just hit him, too.

"And there's no way in hell I'm broaching the subject with Carl," Rick added, earning a scoff of agreement from the other man.

"Do you have any ideas?" Amy asked Rick.

He sighed heavily and said, "Well, I'm assuming your cousin knows that you stayed here last night." Amy nodded. "So it would probably be best to have you and Steve pose as a couple or, uh, _the_ couple…"

"But what about us?" she asked, gesturing between herself and Rick.

He shrugged, possibly to appear indifferent, but his tone portrayed a small amount of reluctance toward the decision. "You and I can carry on behind closed doors." He slid Steve a look. "That work for you?"

"Yeah, you'll get no complaint from me. Amy, honey, you good with that?" Steve asked the petite woman in rumpled clothing.

She was somewhat disappointed to have to hide her official status with Rick, but at the same time, she felt a little thrill at the idea of the two of them sneaking around like secret lovers, which was precisely what they would be. Steve, on the other hand, would get all of the attention and they would have to act like an exclusive couple around other people, even if Rick was there. It left her with mixed feelings, but there wasn't really any way around it.

The two men were looking at her for an answer, so she flashed her smile once more and reached across the island to affectionately squeeze Rick's hand. "Whatever we need to do to keep this going. I care about you both very much and you both make me very happy. No matter what happens out there, please don't forget that," she said, locking eyes with each of them as she spoke.

Steve grinned and put his arm around her shoulder to drop a kiss onto her head. At the same time, Rick lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the soft skin on her palm.

"Speaking of behind closed doors," she said, "we should probably discuss sleeping arrangements…"

Steve held out a hand and glanced at Rick. "What about if we, like, trade off every other night?"

Amy snickered. "I'd prefer not to feel like the child of a divorced couple."

Rick stifled a laugh and Steve smirked. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"How about we just take it one day at a time? We're grown men – we can be fair, right?" Rick asked the man next to Amy.

Steve swept his hand down her back, sending zings of warmth throughout her body – along with a hint of possessiveness. "Right," he replied, not tearing his eyes from hers.

* * *

Amy managed the walk of shame alone – Steve was due to be at the wall and Rick was summoned by Deanna. She entered the large house, tip-toeing through the front entrance. She shut the door with a muted click and started to ascend the stairs when Lauren spoke from behind her.

"Look who finally came home..."

Amy took a deep breath and spun around as she attempted to hide the deep blush on her cheeks.

"I take it dinner went well. Breakfast, too?" Lauren added with a playful gleam. She nursed a cup of tea while still dressed in her pajamas – a gray Harvard t-shirt and black sweatpants.

"Yeah, we had a good time," Amy said vaguely.

"Rick was looking for you last night. He seemed kind of upset. I hope he didn't give you any trouble on your date…"

A vision assaulted Amy – Rick's handcuffs cutting into her slender wrists as he lay between her open thighs and buried himself to the hilt in her wet heat. Clearing away the intense image, she focused on her cousin and said, "No... No trouble at all."

Lauren followed her upstairs as she tried to flee, asking, "So what happened? Aren't you going to tell me about it? Does this mean you and Steve are together now? Don't leave me hanging!"

Amy stopped in the middle of the hallway and laughed. "You're relentless, you know that?"

"_Well?"_ Lauren prompted, ignoring the jab. As cousins, they'd always shared the details of their love lives – begging wasn't usually necessary.

Amy thought about the previous evening in its entirety and the agreed 'terms' of their arrangement. Sticking to her word, she said with an innocent smile, "Steve and I had dinner, mind-blowing sex, and then coffee in the morning. I guess that makes us as exclusive as we can be right now…"

Lauren made a sound that could only be described as a squeal and raised her shoulders in excitement. "He's seriously hot! You snagged a good one, girl."

_Make that two, _Amy wanted to blurt out, but kept her composure. "He definitely seems like a keeper. I guess we'll see what happens." Quickly, she changed the subject. "Deanna's going to assign me a job today so I need to get ready. We'll talk more later?"

"You know it!" Lauren hollered as Amy disappeared into the seclusion of her bedroom.

After changing into a clean blouse and dark jeans, she yelled a quick farewell to her cousin and began the short walk to Deanna's office. On the way, she inhaled a deep breath of fresh, summer air and began to weigh the pros and cons of the two men in her life. As much as the idea pained her, she knew this couldn't go on forever. Even though she was having fun, it wasn't healthy. A relationship needed to be between two people. Yes, it would eventually come to that, but for now, things needed to run their course. She just wanted to be prepared for the end of it.

Starting with Steve, she immediately focused on his appearance, but quickly realized that there were no cons – for either male. Besides, a relationship was about more than looks, so she concentrated on his personality. They were still getting to know each other, but she could tell that he was brave and loyal – a sure fighter. He had a decent sense of humor, although there wasn't much to joke about nowadays. He was quite aggressive in the sack, but he hadn't hurt her and seemed to be very affectionate when the moment called for it.

Her brain started to question cons. Did the man even have any?

_He's not Rick._

She pushed away the little voice in her head – or possibly, her heart – and forged ahead. Steve could be stubborn. Perhaps even a tad rough and crude. _He's definitely competitive,_ she thought with a smirk. None of the things she named off truly bothered her though, because they balanced out the good parts in him. He was stubborn because he cared for her and simply wanted to be _with_ her. He was rough and crude because he was a passionate guy – not dull by any means.

Amy sighed. Her assessment of Steve didn't seem to help her in making a decision – it actually made it more difficult.

Moving on to Rick, she was oblivious to the fact that just the thought of him brought a smile to her face. She'd seen him be ruthless on the road, but that was all about survival. They'd all done unspeakable things. It only proved that he was a fighter, too – maybe even more so than Steve. Steve may have been a Seal in his former life, but he had barely been outside of the walls of Alexandria. When they'd reached the safe haven, she'd seen a change in Rick. Well, not so much a _change_. More like a shift. He'd dropped his ruthlessness and replaced it with an outwardly loving and caring behavior. He was still reserved around the people of Alexandria, though. Maybe it was only Amy that had seen the shift in his demeanor. He was sweet and gentle with her…

Before she could think any further, she was already knocking on Deanna's door. To her surprise, Maggie answered.

"Oh, hey," Amy said. "I'm here to see Deanna."

Maggie gestured in the opposite direction. "She needed to take care of something at the gate. She wanted you to meet her there if you showed up while she was gone."

"Okay, then I'll head that way. Thanks," Amy said with a friendly smile.

As she approached the elusive woman, her heart began to pound. Deanna was mid-discussion with Michonne, Aaron, Steve and Rick while they regarded the closed gate. Amy sucked in a shallow breath and exhaled unsteadily as the small group acknowledged her presence. Aaron and Michonne gave her a simple "Good morning," but Rick and Steve were staring at her with a knowing look in their eyes. In the bright daylight, she suddenly felt naked before them. Heat flooded her face and she fought to keep her composure. Her brain tripped over the correct greeting, and she wound up meeting Rick's flirtatious gaze for a moment before directing a pointed grin at Steve.

"Hi," she purred.

"Hey," Steve said in return.

Rick's expression became tight and Amy's smile faltered. He had to understand that this was what they'd agreed upon! Every part of her wanted to maul him with kisses and drag him back to bed, but they were in public. They needed everyone to believe that they were just friends and nothing more.

"I'm glad you got my message. I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you," Deanna stated. "We were just finishing up here."

"It's no problem," Amy answered, trying to keep her voice light. She felt Rick's eyes on her but refused to look over.

"If you all will excuse us…" Deanna said to the others as she guided Amy away with an outstretched hand.

Amy and Steve exchanged a longing glance, and she barely met Rick's gaze as she turned around with Deanna. Rick still appeared hurt, which only made her hurt more, but none of her actions should have surprised him. Hell, he'd been the one to propose that they keep their relationship hidden. Maybe now he was realizing just how hard that would be.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you to the following readers for leaving wonderful reviews: angelicedg, WishfulThinker66, mrsreedus69, lollipop2404, rocknrollprincess131, and MissDawes. One of you said that Rick and Steve don't seem like the sharing type – and you're absolutely right. We'll start to see hints of that in this chapter.**

**Enjoy! ;)**

* * *

Deanna walked alongside Amy, but Amy had no idea where they were headed. They were traveling at a slow pace, so she had to wonder if Deanna even knew. Her suspicions were confirmed when the older woman said, "I've been trying to find the right job for you, Amy. I have one in mind, but before we go there I want to ask – are you a good shot? Rick was just saying that we need someone in the bell-tower at all times."

Amy shrugged. "I am when it counts. I'm not the best, though. Sasha? She's your girl. That job shouldn't be given to anyone less than the best."

Deanna stuck out her bottom lip and nodded. "Fair enough. What did you do before all of this?"

"I was a graphic designer. That makes me pretty useless now…"

"That's not true," Deanna disputed. "If you're alive, then you're useful."

Amy smiled at the woman's wise and encouraging words. She'd frequently felt like a waste of space, like she had no special purpose or contributing trade. She pulled her own weight, but didn't always exceed beyond that.

"Would you consider yourself organized?" Deanna asked a moment later.

"Absolutely. That was always a strong suit of mine."

Deanna gave her a pleasant smile. "Perfect."

They began to walk a little faster and wound up at the town's supply building. Deanna pushed open the door and Amy followed her inside. Shelves of food filled the entire first room and weapons in the second.

"Olivia has come down with a nasty flu bug and the guys are going on a run tomorrow. We need someone to take these lists and do an inventory of everything – see what we have and what they need to get. Are you my girl?" Deanna asked, referring to what Amy had said earlier.

"I am," she replied, "but what about after today, ya know, when Olivia gets better?"

"She's been given more responsibilities lately. You'll share this job with her, and then perhaps take it over. Would that be all right?"

Amy nodded. "Let me see those lists and I'll get started."

* * *

As much as Rick told himself that Amy's behavior by the gate was exactly what he had asked of her, she'd still left him reeling. He was starting to second guess the whole thing. It seemed like a jerk move to come to an agreement and then yank it away because of his selfish state of mind – the same one he was sure Steve was in – but Steve was the sole receiver of Amy's attention now. She'd barely even looked at him. All he wanted was a hint of _something,_ a glimmer of recognition that he was more than just some guy on the street. The night before, she'd gazed into his eyes as they'd made love, as they'd become one. The Amy he'd just seen was nothing even remotely close to that woman. _That_ was the woman he wanted – and he couldn't wait until the sun went down to have her again.

Stalking down one of the side streets, he put his patrol on hold and went in search of Deanna. He found the woman at her house.

"I heard that Amy was getting a job this morning…" he began.

"Yes, I set her up to do inventory of the pantry and armory," Deanna said. "Did you have something else in mind?"

"Uh, no. Just thought I'd check up on her and see how she's doin'." Rick offered the woman a casual smile, as not to cause any suspicion.

After saying a quick goodbye, Rick continued on to the supply building. He quietly opened the door and then proceeded to lock it behind him. He walked into the next room, where Amy had her back to him as she looked over the list in her hand. Rick allowed his lusting eyes to drift over her round backside, which was perfectly accented by her tight jeans. He crossed the space between them and settled his hands on her hips. She jumped and let out a squeak. Her clipboard dropped to the floor with a loud clatter as she spun around.

"Shit, Rick! You scared me!" she exclaimed as she tried to quell her racing heart.

He didn't allow another word to escape from her lips. He dipped his head and kissed her with a fierce intensity that he didn't even know he possessed. Her body fused to his and he ground his rigid erection against the apex of her thighs. She moaned against his mouth and gripped his solid shoulders as she returned the kiss with equal intensity. He slid his hand between them and rubbed the warm, jean-clad area between her legs with the heel of his palm. He wanted her wet and begging for him – he wouldn't have her any other way.

Suddenly, Amy pushed him back. "Rick, we can't do this here. Anyone could walk in…"

"I locked the door," he said, breathless. "You're alone, right?"

"Well, yeah…"

"Then, shut up and kiss me," he quipped, lowering his head once more. She stopped him.

"Rick, you can't just barge in – while I'm working, I might add – and expect me to open my legs for you at your beck and call."

He lightly licked his lips as his hungry gaze roamed over her face. He lowered his head and nuzzled her hair, finally hovering just over her ear to say, "I know you and Steve took a shower together this morning, and as much as the thought of that drives me crazy, what you do with him is none of my business. But you belong to me, too, Amy. And I, you." His hand snaked down her front and disappeared beneath her waistband to dip his fingers into her damp heat. She held her breath and stilled. As he circled one wet finger over her clit, he said, "Don't fight me on this, because I can feel how much you want it, too… I _need_ you, Amy – right here, right now."

Amy's bones turned to water as she melted into his embrace. Rick saw her shudder from his touch, and she released the tiniest of moans. He accepted her surrender with another wicked kiss, licking into her mouth to experience her wonderful taste all over again. She clutched onto him, worried that the weakness he was causing in her knees would make her collapse on the spot. He moved his lips away from her mouth and kissed down her neck, nipping at the soft skin as he neared the opening of her blouse. Amy tipped her head back and closed her eyes on a sigh. He began unbuttoning the thin material, revealing the same black bra from the night before. He tugged the lacy fabric to one side, baring her nipple to him, before roughly taking it into his mouth. She cried out and wove her fingers through his wavy hair, holding his head to her chest as he took his fill. A moment later, he switched to the other side. He wanted to love every part of her thoroughly, and the sweet sounds she was making told him he was doing a good job of it.

Fully standing to kiss her lips once more, Rick backed her up against the wall – one that was out of sight of the windows – and started to unfasten her pants. She pushed the article of clothing down her weak legs, toed off her shoes, and kicked it all aside. She tried to return the favor, but couldn't get past his hands. After shedding his jacket, he braced them on either side of her head and allowed her to undo his belt and jeans, all the while stealing kisses from her. Once his pants were open, she whipped off his tie, remembering the smooth feel of the garment as Steve had draped it over her eyes the night before. She stared into Rick's as she took her time with each button on his constable uniform. His burning gaze filled her body with the most delicious tension – she absolutely could not wait to have him inside of her.

When Rick's shirt was fully open, she touched her slender fingers to the bare skin, lightly dragging her nails down his quivering, yet taut, abdomen. He sucked in a breath as she lowered her head to circle one flat nipple with her tongue. She savored the salty flavor of his skin and then moved to the other side. At the same time, her hand slipped below the elastic of his boxer briefs and cupped the underside of his package, before wrapping around his throbbing cock.

Suddenly, he slammed her against the wall – not painfully, but enough to show that he was done fooling around. His mouth took possession of hers once more, his hands fisting in her already disheveled hair. She jerked on the side of his pants to free him from the stiff confines and then proceeded to do the same with her own underwear, tossing away the thin scrap.

Rick skimmed his hands up the back of her bare legs and stopped at the top of her thighs. Gripping her there, he lifted her up and held her legs around his hips. He pushed her further into the wall for added support and, once they were lined up, drove deep. Amy clung to him, their mouths brushing with every hard thrust. She let out whimpers of pleasure from the sensations he created with each stab of his hips. The slap of flesh-on-flesh was so carnal, so erotic – it made her even wilder for him. She moaned into his mouth and he smiled.

"That's it, baby. I want to hear you… I want to hear you say my name…"

She moaned again, and he clutched the tender skin beneath her backside a little tighter, his short fingernails digging into the flesh. He pounded into her, the rhythm almost unforgiving.

When her cries got louder and more frantic, Rick whispered against her lips, "Say it. Say it, Amy…"

"Rick, oh, Rick…" she breathed, and felt something in her heart shift as she gazed into his brilliant blue eyes.

_I love you._

Amy swallowed the confession before it could escape and make a mess of everything.

"That's right," he said, kissing her again, "I'm the one making love to you, Amy. _Me._"

He sounded hurt, like maybe his pride was taking a beating with their odd arrangement, which it probably was. She had to clamp down on her bottom lip, because she almost spoke those three sacred words once more.

Rick took her to the edge, and they continued to look into each other's eyes as they reached that point of absolute oblivion. He touched his forehead to hers and gasped her name, returning the favor. She kissed him as they caught their breath and grinned at the crazy act they'd just carried out.

"I'm the worst employee ever," she whispered on a laugh.

"You could say that you were under police orders," he said with a wink.

She chewed on her lip at the handsome sight he made – pants around his knees, shirt open, hair messy…all because of her.

"You can order me around anytime you want, Constable."

Rick made a pleased sound from deep in his chest and their lips touched again. Finally, he set her down and pulled up his pants. She put on her underwear, and he retrieved her jeans before buttoning up his shirt. She accepted them with a playful smile and then closed her own shirt. She could swear that there was love in his gaze every time he looked at her, and her heart ached to share those feelings, but it was too much, too soon – and of course there was Steve to think about as well.

Just as Rick pulled on his jacket, someone tried to open the front door. When it didn't, they knocked. The startled couple looked over to see Lauren standing on the other side of the little window. She squinted from the bright sunlight outside and cupped her hands around her face to peer through the glass. Amy rushed to unlock the door, pretending to struggle as she did so.

When it opened, Lauren glanced past Amy and saw Rick standing behind her, to which she asked, "What are you doing here, Cuz? Everything okay?"

Amy nodded. "Yeah, um, I was just talking to Rick about…"

"The run tomorrow," he supplied when she came up short.

"Yes, the run. And this stupid door. I don't know what's wrong with it," she said, glancing at Rick with a nervous laugh. "It keeps getting stuck."

"I'll have someone take a look at it," he said, keeping his beautiful gaze on her.

Lauren observed the man and woman, her eyes narrow. She noted the fact that Rick's shirt wasn't fully tucked in and red splotches covered Amy's chest.

"So what's up?" Amy asked her cousin.

Lauren cleared her throat and said, "I wanted to get a few things for dinner tonight. Is this your new job?"

"Yeah! It's temporary for now, but will probably become permanent."

"That's great! So then you can help me find our dinner – or are you going to be at Steve's again tonight?" Lauren asked with a smirk.

Amy eyed Rick and saw him glance at the floor with an uncomfortable expression. Trying to diffuse the awkward situation, she said, "I don't know. He and I haven't talked about it yet."

"Well," Rick said suddenly, "I'll let you ladies get to it…"

"Yeah, uh, Rick, thanks for filling me in…" She refused to smile at the sexual innuendo, but was sure that Rick picked up on it. "Ya know, about the supplies for tomorrow."

"No problem. It was my pleasure," he said, almost giving away too much in just that one statement.

Unable to deny herself, she reached out and softly touched her fingertips to Rick's arm. He gave her a tender smile and then nodded at Lauren as he headed toward the door. Lauren stepped forward to allow him to leave. When the door shut, she pointed a look at Amy.

"Is there something going on between you and Sheriff Rick?"

Amy laughed and hoped that it didn't sound crazed. "What? What made you think that?"

"You guys keep looking at each other all weird. I kind of think that he likes you…"

"No, no way. We're just friends. That's all," Amy insisted.

Lauren sighed, still not fully convinced. "If you say so."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you for the continued interest and support, and to the following for leaving the reviews that I love oh-so-much: angelicedg, WishfulThinker66, rocknrollprincess131, mrsreedus69, and lollipop2404.**

**I think it's time to give Steve a chance – Rick seems to be way ahead of the game. We can't let Amy's decision be **_**too**_** easy, right? ;) My song choice for this chapter is Ed Sheeran's "Give Me Love."**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Surprised. That was how Steve felt when Amy showed up on his doorstep just after dinner. She had changed into capri-style yoga leggings and a flowy t-shirt. Her hair was up, baring the slender column of her neck. His eyes traced the exposed skin and imagined what it would be like to do it with his lips.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, dragging his gaze to meet hers.

Amy laughed, the sound breathy. "I can leave if you want," she quipped.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "No, please stay. I just thought that you'd be with Rick tonight since…well, we had last night and this morning together."

An indecipherable look crossed her face and she stepped past him to come inside before he could study it further. "Well, I'm here. I hope that's okay…"

"Of course it is! I- I've been thinking about you all day," he blurted, but his confession was soft.

Amy glanced at him with a faint blush on her cheekbones. "You have?"

_Haven't you been thinking about me?_ He decided not to ask this, but the surprise in her voice made him wonder. Opting to avoid speech altogether, he bent and pressed a kiss to her mouth as his thumb stroked the hollow of her cheek. Amy reached up and held onto the back of his neck, transforming the tender kiss into something more passionate. Her hands slid down to his chest and began undoing the buttons on his shirt. Steve stilled her hands and backed up.

"Woah, Amy…" He extracted a cleansing breath, all the while telling his cock to calm the fuck down.

The woman furrowed her brows in confusion. "Isn't this what you want?"

Steve searched her blue gaze. "Yeah, I do want that, but not _just_ that. I want to get to know you better – like, in a way that's more than physical. Can we do that?"

Amy gave him a gentle smile. "I'd like that."

With her answer, he returned the happy expression. "Good. So can I get you something to drink? I'm out of wine, but I've got beer."

"I'll have a beer, then," she said, sitting down on his couch and relaxing into the plushy cushions.

Steve grabbed two bottles from the fridge and shut off lights as he went, leaving them to bask in the warm glow of a few lit candles. He handed Amy her drink and watched her take a swig before doing the same. He occupied the seat next to her and rubbed an affectionate hand over her slim thigh.

"So tell me about your day," he said, as if they'd ended every day like this.

Amy took a long pull of her beer and he watched her gaze skitter around the room. "Well, uh, Deanna assigned me to work in the supply building. It's temporary but may become permanent."

"That's great. So you didn't want to work on the wall with me? We could have quickies on our lunch break."

Amy's lips parted and her eyes went wide on him.

He chuckled. "I'm just teasing, babe – but a man can dream, right?"

The woman visibly relaxed and let out a quiet chuckle, the humor not quite meeting her eyes. "Right…"

"Is everything okay?" he asked, caressing her thigh once more. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to. I mean…I'm trying to be fair, Amy. If you want to be with Rick tonight, I promise I won't be mad."

Amy's gaze softened and she shook her head, appearing wounded. "No…ugh, I'm sorry, Steve. I don't know where my head's at. This is all so new to me." She scooted closer to him and held the large hand that had been on her leg. "I'm here with you. That means I want to be with _you_. Okay?"

Steve smiled and felt a strange warmth invade his chest – the same sensation he had experienced throughout the day whenever he'd thought of her. The walls were generally a boring place to be, but for once the day had flown by, fueled by romantic daydreams and visions of a possible future with the woman next to him. Of course, Rick couldn't be a part of that future – it just didn't work that way. He wasn't going to kill the guy or anything irrational like that. He'd have to keep Amy the old-fashioned way – with charm, affection and an honest understanding.

Amy sipped at her beer and then said, "You told me about your time with the Seals. I'd like to hear about your work with 5-0. What was that like?"

He shelved any further deliberation and began to tell her about the co-workers that went on to become his family. He'd been unable to get in touch with any of them after the outbreak, much to his distress. His best friend Danny – "Danno" – was the unknown that upset him the most. They'd practically been brothers, and Steve thought of him daily.

They moved on to the subject of cases, hoping to keep the mood light. Amy asked him about his most memorable case, and Steve became quiet. He picked at the label on his beer bottle in brooding silence.

"Sorry," she whispered, "we can talk about something else."

"It's okay," he said, his voice a little rougher than before. "There was this one – it wasn't actually an official case. I guess you'd say wrong place, right time. One morning my buddy was giving me a shave at his barbershop and this kid stumbled in, bleeding from a gunshot wound. He'd been a wounded bystander in some mob hit – or so we'd been told. After a series of unfortunate events, we found out from his father that the hit had been on _him_."

"Why would a father want to kill his own son?" Amy asked in blatant shock.

"Because he'd discovered that his son was snatching up little kids in their neighborhood…and killing them."

Amy expelled the breath she'd been holding and grimaced at the pain in Steve's voice. He pushed on.

"I, uh, needed proof, ya know? The father directed me to a room in their basement. I found a stack of pictures…" Steve sniffled and swallowed hard, but there were no tears. "I'll never forget their faces," he added. _So innocent. So scared._

"That's horrible," Amy whispered. "What happened to him after that? Was he convicted?"

Steve didn't look up; he just stared at the ripped label on his bottle. "I killed him. He drew his weapon – forced my hand."

She stroked her fingers over the man's tense back and gently kneaded his shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to do that. Did…did that sort of thing happen a lot?"

"If you're asking 'Did I have to protect myself and others on a regular basis by firing my weapon?' then yes, that was my job. In a way, it still is."

"I admire you," she said, staring into his eyes when his gaze snapped up.

"There's nothing admirable about taking someone's life."

"But it's like you just said – someone needed to be out there protecting the innocent people, even before the world fell apart. You were a step ahead of us. You did the dirty work so the rest of us could enjoy our freedom and live our lives in relative peace. It takes a special kind of person to do that," she said softly.

Steve looked at the woman next to him and saw the veracity of what she'd said in her eyes. He wasn't the best at accepting compliments, but he'd taken pride in his work, so it was nice to get some appreciation. As he gazed at Amy with her tender smile, he realized that he hadn't been the best partner to her. Yes, he did appreciate _her,_ but he'd been a little rough and crude – more like a fuck buddy than a caring boyfriend. She deserved to be cherished and treated with the utmost respect. She'd chosen to be with _him_ tonight – he wanted to make her happy with that decision.

"And it takes a special kind of person for me to share that story. I, uh, haven't told anyone about it since it happened," he replied, holding her hand once more.

"Thank you for trusting me with it," she murmured and squeezed his hand.

_I don't think that's the only thing I'll trust you with, _Steve thought as he cradled the delicate curve of her neck and pulled her in for a light, undemanding kiss. Amy sighed, the sound pleasing to his ears. He lifted his head just enough to watch her lashes flutter open, and smiled, nuzzling his nose against hers. She allowed him to wrap his arms around her and pull her head to his chest. She held onto him, returning the intimate embrace.

They stayed like that for a few minutes. Steve had missed this – soothing contact with another person; the act of simply holding someone that you cared about. He hadn't expected to feel this way about anyone ever again. He'd always been reserved, but the past two years had been a whole new level of loneliness – one that had seemed impossible to fix. He hadn't wanted to settle, though, so that had made things more difficult, but he knew now why he'd needed to wait: the beautiful woman with her ear pressed to his heart.

"I think I'm ready to go to bed now. What about you?" he asked quietly as they let go of one another.

"Lead the way, Commander," she said with a crooked grin, except this time the nickname didn't roll off her tongue like a sexual advance – it sounded more like a true endearment.

Steve gently grasped her hand and, in desire-filled silence, they walked upstairs to his bedroom. He wondered if it was awkward for her to be there after the far different experience twenty-four hours before, but she showed no sign of uneasiness. In fact, she appeared much more relaxed as she shut the door. When she turned around, he framed her face with his hands and tilted up her chin to receive his kiss. She returned to where she'd left off earlier, her fingers working their way down as she unbuttoned his shirt. Finally, he shrugged it off and flung it aside.

Amy pulled away for a moment to run her gaze over his tanned skin and the white undershirt that hugged his broad shoulders. She followed it with her hands, enjoying the hard muscle underneath. Steve just kept his eyes on her, his dark blue irises glinting in the shadowy room. When he went to reach for the hem of her shirt, she shook her head.

"You first this time…"

Steve slanted her a smile and moved to lift his own shirt. Once again, she stopped him.

"Let me," Amy whispered.

He dropped his hands, allowing her to gather the soft cotton material within her fingertips, and shivered when she grazed his sides as she pushed it upward. He then raised his arms and bent down slightly so he could give her the satisfaction of finishing it herself – his sheer height tended to put her at a disadvantage.

"You have an incredible body, Steve," she said, her eyes worshipping the sight of him.

"I'm more interested in yours right now…" he replied, and curved his hands around her hips to draw her closer. His lips brushed her temple as he mirrored her previous actions and removed her thin t-shirt. Dropping his head, he pressed his mouth to the curve of one breast and dragged his lips along the edging of her lacy bra. His tongue dipped beneath the seam, teasing the hard bud that ached to be touched. She whispered his name and he felt immense satisfaction to hear her acknowledge just who was with her tonight.

Amy speared her fingers through Steve's short hair, increasing the pressure of his damp kisses as she kept him pressed to her heaving chest. Steve responded by hooking two fingers into the soft cup and pulling it downward to expose one firm mound with a nipple straining toward the sweet relief that only his mouth could bring. When he finally covered it with the wet heat she'd longed for, she sighed out a moan and tipped her head back. He unfastened her bra, letting it fall away, and switched to the other side.

After a few moments, Steve traced his strong hands over her backside and then drew her against him, wrapping her legs around his waist. Amy brought his lips to hers and savored their unique flavor – thanks to the prior beer – while he walked them over to the bed. Carefully, he laid her down, moving over her to continue their passionate kisses. She came up for air and he carried on, kissing down her neck and chest, to stop just above the waistband of her pants. He glanced at her as he began to ease the stretchy fabric down her restless legs.

Once Amy was left in just her simple black underwear, Steve's gaze roamed over her almost-naked body, and she saw his eyes flare with hunger. Falling to his knees, he slid her to the edge of the mattress and hooked her legs over his shoulders. He lifted her hips and grazed his nose along the center of her underwear, touching his open mouth to the damp cotton.

"God, you smell good… Good enough to eat."

Amy bit her bottom lip at his bold declaration and watched with bated breath as he pushed her underwear to the side. The moment his tongue touched her, her hips bucked and a gasp pierced the silent room.

After a few more strokes, he whispered, "And you taste amazing…"

Steve continued to swipe his tongue from back to front, stopping periodically to focus on the tight nub at the top. He sucked and nibbled on the sensitive flesh, which drove Amy wild. Placing a thumb on either side, he parted her lips, further opening her to him. He dipped his head again and lapped at her until she exploded, coming undone against his awaiting mouth. He could feel the clenching spasm of her pussy against his tongue and didn't think his cock could ache any more than it did at that moment.

While Amy recovered from her unexpected release, Steve wiped his mouth and slipped off her underwear. His pants and boxer briefs followed. Without another thought, he pushed between her thighs and, as he entered her, groaned, "Fuck, I just need to be inside of you."

Amy cried out, the sound raw amongst their quiet surroundings. Steve withdrew and then thrust again. Buried to the hilt, he proceeded to hold himself there and be absorbed in her liquid heat. He kept his gaze on her face, enjoying the sight she made beneath him. He focused on her hooded eyes and swollen lips as she breathed heavily.

"You're so beautiful, Amy," he murmured, and stroked a hand over her disheveled hair. "My Amy…"

Okay, so maybe she wasn't entirely his, but tonight – she was.

He didn't tear his eyes from her, watching every flicker of emotion cross over her features as their hips moved together in perfect time. Even when she reached a second release, he didn't look away. It was then that he let go, spilling himself inside of her as hot waves of desire crashed over him.

After they'd slowed their breaths, Steve stroked her hair once more and pressed his lips to her humid forehead. Then, he slowly pulled out of her and rotated to relax against the pillows, taking her with him. He held her small body against his own and guided her head to rest on his warm chest. Her fingertips skated across the dusting of hair that covered solid muscle, and he caressed a hand along her bare arm. When something wet touched the area beneath her cheek, he tensed, but not enough for her to notice. He peered down at her pale face in the dark of his room and watched another tear leak from her closed eyes. Wetness clung to her thick lashes, but her hand continued to move over his chest – perhaps to keep him from noticing her sudden tears.

Steve's heart throbbed. Had he hurt her? It couldn't have been physically – not after the night before. He'd just made love to her in a way that he had never experienced in his entire adult life. He wasn't the gentlest lover, but tonight he knew that he'd given a part of himself to her – oh, what the hell, he'd given _all_ of himself to her. To him, the tears could only mean one thing: that maybe she didn't reciprocate those feelings.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you to my awesome reviewers: mrsreedus69, angelicedg, WishfulThinker66, rocknrollprincess131, and lollipop2404. I hope you all like this chapter, and yes, Rick is back, haha.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Amy Phillips had fallen – hard – and it wasn't just for one man. No, make that two. They were exactly the kind of men that she'd hoped for, but never imagined that she would have to _choose_ one. She had spent her whole life searching for one suitable partner, only to wind up with two wonderful men that would give her anything she asked of them. It made her head spin and her heart ache.

Two weeks had passed and their arrangement continued, but she knew that a decision would need to be made soon. Rick and Steve didn't pressure her in any way to do so, but she could sense it in their actions. Both were quite possessive and starting to become cold toward each other. She spent half of her nights at Steve's house, while the rest were enjoyed in the quiet of Rick's bedroom after Carl had gone to bed. She'd sneak in through the window, feeling like a hormonal teenager that craved a late-night hookup – which was exactly what it turned into. There hadn't been a repeat of the first night. Sometimes Rick had her and sometimes Steve did, but never at the same time. She understood though, and appreciated her private time with each of them.

But one morning, everything changed.

Amy had spent the night alone, a rare occasion, and after getting dressed, went downstairs to make breakfast. Lauren was already in the process of making coffee and greeted her cousin with a lazy smile, followed by a groan.

"What's your problem?" Amy asked as she opened the fridge.

"Damn cramps… Shark Week is here with a vengeance," Lauren said and massaged her low belly. "Could you pick up some Midol or something at work? Maybe some tampons, too. Isn't it great to finally have a decent supply? I'll never take them for granted again…" she said in a wistful voice.

Amy laughed and nodded in agreement, but as she watched the brewing coffee, her smile faded. A violent wave of apprehension rolled in her stomach and for a moment she thought she was going to be sick. She braced her hand on the sturdy countertop and suddenly wasn't so hungry.

"Uh, I forgot that I have to be there early today. I've gotta go," Amy lied, skipping the coffee, too, for fear that it might come right back up.

Her face must have turned a pale shade of green, because Lauren asked, "Are you okay, Cuz?"

"Yeah, um, I just don't want to be late. I'll see you later," she said over her shoulder and headed for the door.

After throwing on her jacket, Amy walked quickly to the supply building. It was empty, as it should be, so she went straight to the toiletry shelves. It only took a few seconds to find what she needed. The building had a utility bathroom – it wasn't anything special, but would serve its purpose. She locked herself in the small closet-like space and, with shaking hands, opened the rectangular box. She followed the instructions and then placed the white stick on the edge of the sink. Closing her eyes, she sat on the lid of the toilet and buried her face in her hands.

Three long, agonizing minutes passed. She took a deep breath that did nothing to calm her nerves and darted back to the sink. The world went out of focus as tears flooded her wide eyes. She covered her agape mouth and fell to the side, her shoulder connecting with the hard wall.

What would this do to Rick and Steve? What would it do to their relationship? She didn't see them as the leaving type, but this complicated things far more than anything else she could have imagined.

_I need to tell them. They need to know._

Amy tried to think of their reactions, and, oh God, how would Lauren react? How would she continue the façade in front of the whole town? She didn't think her heart would allow it. She couldn't keep it up for another nine months – and then what? Rick would die watching her and Steve become parents, when he just as easily could be the child's father. She had to talk to them. The guys would know what to do. They were, well, a part of her. She wouldn't have to make this decision alone, or at least, _hoped_ that she wouldn't.

After hiding the evidence underneath a pile of paper towels in the trash bin, Amy left the bathroom and locked up the supply building. She strode down the empty street, searching for any sign of her men. Her boots clacked on the fractured pavement as her head swiveled from side-to-side.

Finally, she saw Steve. He was up on the wall, just as she'd anticipated he would be. He was dressed in a navy blue polo and dark jeans, looking as strong and capable as ever. She allowed her mind to wander for one brief moment and imagined what it would be like to have a child with him. She'd seen him in uncle-mode with Mary's daughter, so she knew he was good with kids, but not once had he spoken of wanting to be a father – and that worried her.

When their eyes connected, he grinned and climbed down to meet her on the sidewalk. He brushed his mouth over hers and tucked a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear.

"Hey, beautiful," he whispered. "I missed you last night."

Amy gave him her best smile and nodded. "I missed you, too."

"Did you go…?" he asked, his expression tight.

"No," she said, "I was alone last night." _I can't keep doing this,_ her brain screamed, _to them or to me. It isn't right._

Steve picked up on her sad gaze and frowned. "Is everything all right?"

She swallowed hard. "I need to talk to you and Rick. Can we meet at your house?"

"Of course, babe, but what's this about? You're scaring me…"

"It's okay." _I think. _"I'll explain then. Have you seen Rick by any chance?"

Steve cleared his throat. "I saw him on patrol about twenty minutes ago. He's probably on the other side of town."

"Okay, thanks. So can we meet at your place in about ten minutes?"

"Sure," he answered, and stopped her before she could turn away. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'll be fine."

She gave him one more kiss on the cheek, hoping to erase the concern in his features, and went off to find Rick.

* * *

Rick had just finished dealing with yet another domestic dispute between the town's doctor, Pete, and his wife, Jessie. The two carried on a love/hate relationship and he wondered how many warnings he could deliver before the couple would take him seriously. It was clear that Pete was abusing Jessie, but neither would admit to it.

With a heavy sigh, Rick opened their front door and started down the porch steps, only to see Amy walking by in a hurry.

"Hey," he called out.

She jumped, one hand pressed to her mouth and the other covering her stomach. "Hey. I was just coming to find you…"

"Really?" He studied her face for a moment and saw dread in her eyes. "Are you okay? Did Steve—?"

Amy huffed out a breath. "No, Steve didn't do anything. I just need to talk to both of you…right now."

_Shit. She's made a decision._ Rick swallowed hard. _Is she leaving me for him? _He wasn't sure if he could handle the heartache, especially if she and Steve carried on in front of him for real this time. What if they got married…and had kids? _Oh, shit._

"Okay, where do you want to do this?" He hoped he didn't look like the fearful one now.

"At Steve's place. He should be there."

"Okay, lead the way."

Amy reached for his hand, her fingers grazing and briefly mingling with his. He dared a glance at the nearby houses and noticed Pete watching them. Rick pulled his hand away and slid Amy a look of caution. Her expression fell, and he wondered if she understood. At least she'd been willing to touch him – that was a good thing. Or maybe she just wanted to lessen the blow. _Goddammit._

They walked next to each other, silence driving a wedge of tension between them. Occasionally, Rick would steal a glimpse of her face and felt his gut clench at her forlorn appearance.

_I love you, Amy._

He wanted to say it so badly, for maybe those words would change her mind, influence her decision somehow. He couldn't do that to her, though. Plus, if she didn't return those feelings, he'd look like a fool. Self-preservation, right?

They made it to Steve's, and Rick held the door open for her as she brushed past him. The floral scent of her shampoo lingered and his heart tightened painfully in his chest. It would be torture to smell that lovely scent day-after-day, the same scent that clung to the pillow beside his, and know that she wasn't his anymore. Whenever they were joined together, he would bury his face in her silky hair and breathe her in. What he'd give to do that one more time…

_She didn't actually say what she wanted to talk about, so cool it,_ he reminded himself, but judging by the look on her face, it wasn't something good.

Steve was in the kitchen, preparing a pot of coffee, and he met them at the island with three mugs. It was the same place they'd discussed the conditions of their crazy arrangement – how fitting for it to end there.

_Stop it._

Rick watched Amy refuse her cup of coffee and his brow knitted – the woman never turned down caffeine. Steve occupied one of the high stools and Rick took the seat next to him as Amy circled the granite countertop. He hadn't been this close to the other man in quite some time and, while he wasn't crazy about Amy's other half, he was willing to put his hostility aside for her.

Amy drummed her fingers on the island's hard surface, looking like she was ready to jump out of her own skin. She chewed on her bottom lip and had a hard time meeting the anxious gazes just two feet away. Finally, she did, and Rick felt another pain in his chest when he saw that her eyes were glazed over with unshed tears.

_Here it comes… She's going to leave one of us. Me. Both of us? Oh, God._

"I'm pregnant," she whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So we have both Team Grimes and Team McGarrett now. I love it! Thank you to my lovely reviewers: angelicedg, lollipop2404, WishfulThinker66, MissDawes, and rocknrollprincess131. Hopefully this chapter delivers. Next one is the last! I have mentioned a location in the comic book, but didn't go into great detail since this is only a short story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

It felt like someone had punched Rick square in the chest. No air filled his lungs as he stared, wide-eyed, at the woman before him. _That_ was not the announcement he'd expected. He shouldn't have been surprised, though. He hadn't carried out any precautions, but from the first moment, Steve hadn't either. He'd just assumed that Amy was on some form of birth control – and what a stupid assumption that was.

So they were having a baby. He should have been more excited. It was something he'd indulged once or twice in the depths of his imagination. She didn't know it yet, but he truly loved her, and would give anything to be the father of her child, but it was the man sitting next to him that held him back. Glancing over, he saw that Steve's jaw was clenched tight, his nostrils flaring.

In front of them, a single tear trickled down Amy's cheek and her lower lip trembled. Quietly, she begged, "Please. One of you say something, because I can't—" Her voice cracked and the tears began to flow freely. "I can't do this alone…"

Rick reached for her hand first, clasping her chilled fingers between his warm palms. "We're here for you, baby. We're not going anywhere. Please, don't cry." He tilted his head and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Steve must have been in shock – Rick couldn't blame the guy – because he finally scooped up Amy's other hand and cradled it within his own. "Rick's right," he said, his voice noticeably tight. "You won't have to do this alone. Okay?"

Amy's chest heaved as she continued to cry, but a beautiful smile broke through. She squeezed their hands and kissed each of their rough knuckles. "_Thank you._ I really needed to hear that."

Suddenly, raised voices and the pop of a gun at close range made them freeze. At the same time, Steve and Rick pushed away from the counter and rushed toward the door. Amy began to follow, but Rick stopped her with an outstretched hand.

"Stay here! We'll get you when we know it's safe."

Amy watched them go, feeling helpless – useless, actually. Dropping onto Steve's couch, she waited…

* * *

Rick withdrew his Colt, following Steve to the front gate, where a small crowd had gathered. As they neared, Rick saw Deanna ascend the wooden steps to stand at the top of the wall, joining one of the Alexandria men, who had his rifle pointed at something beyond the tall metal containment. Deanna ordered their man to lower his weapon, and he did – reluctantly. Rick noticed Aaron amongst the growing number of townspeople and approached him.

"What's goin' on?"

Aaron shrugged his shoulders and glanced away from their female leader for a moment. "Some guy showed up at the gate. He's clean, well-dressed. You know what that means…"

"There's another place nearby," Rick finished for him.

Deanna spoke with the stranger for a few minutes, and then signaled for someone to open the gate. Steve, seeming unsure with her speedy decision, moved cautiously to do so. The newcomer entered and immediately handed over his weapon – most likely on Deanna's orders. She appeared next to the men and pulled Steve aside.

"Where the hell were you? Jonathan up there damn near took the man's head off. We're lucky he was so forgiving – we could've had a war on our hands. It's your job to provide direction, Steve, but that can't happen when you go wandering off."

"You'll have to accept my apologies," Rick said to Deanna, interrupting the heated moment. "I needed Steve's help with something and snagged him for a minute. I'm sorry to have caused so much trouble."

Surprise flickered across the commander's face. Surely, he didn't think Rick would defend him. Deanna, also caught off guard, took a few seconds to answer.

Sighing, she said, "All right, then. Just don't let it happen again." This was directed at both of them, and the two men nodded.

They went on to ask Deanna about the strange visitor, and found out that he was actually a resident of a village about twenty miles out called 'The Hilltop.' The man's group had been happy keeping to themselves, but were facing new security threats and supply shortages. He'd left to scout out some form of help – any form of help, really.

After lots of discussion, Aaron, Eric and Daryl agreed to go with the man to see the Hilltop, and then would report back with details so they could form a plan to help. Rick was leery of trusting someone they'd just met, but Daryl was smart and wouldn't do anything that he didn't want to do. He was the best man for the job, along with the other two, and Rick would take their assessments at face value. First, though, they needed to come back safely – and he sure as hell hoped they did.

* * *

A few days passed, and that moment arrived, much to everyone's relief. The Hilltop was a legitimate place with legitimate concerns. Deanna agreed to provide some residents for additional security, if the Hilltop agreed to help with scouting and supply missions. Everyone felt the same way: there was safety in numbers.

That night, Steve made dinner for Amy and she set the dining room table. As they sat together, she caught him looking at her with a sad expression. She reached across the dark tabletop and took his hand.

"Everything okay?"

He stared at her for a moment, as if he wanted to say no, but his mouth pulled up at the corner and he stunned her with one of his handsome smiles.

"I'm with you. I couldn't ask for a better evening."

Amy blushed under his adoring gaze.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, lifting her hand to kiss the back of it. In the next second, he reached for her, kissing her senseless. He brought her straight upstairs and took her to bed, ravaging her to the point where she wondered what had gotten into him. He'd been gentle and rough at all the right moments, and afterward she swore that every bone had melted within her body.

Once he'd caught his breath, Steve rolled over, swinging his legs to the floor, and pulled up his running shorts. He continued to sit on the edge of the bed, his muscular back to her. She gazed at the tattoos that wrapped around his large arms and studied their designs, just as she had many times before.

Quietly, he said, "I'm leaving."

Her eyes snapped up to the back of his head. "Wh- what did you say?" She couldn't possibly have heard him right.

"I'm leaving," he repeated, not meeting her desperate gaze as she scurried across the unmade bed to sit beside him. She pulled on the sheet to cover her naked body and touched his bare arm.

"Wh- where? Where are you going?"

"To the Hilltop."

"Like…to visit?"

His voice grew impatient, not with anger – but pain. "No, Amy, not to visit. I'm _moving_ to the Hilltop."

Panic bubbled up, but Amy refused to lose her cool. He couldn't possibly be serious… "What about your sister and—?"

"They're going, too."

Her control fractured, as did her heart. "Why are you doing this, Steve?" Tears ran down her face and she furiously wiped them away. "What about the baby? What about _us_?"

"The baby's not mine."

"Don't say that. There's no way—"

"To prove it?" he finished for her. "Actually, there is."

Amy eyed him warily, her insides turning to ice. "What are you talking about?"

Finally, he looked her dead in the eye and said, "You remember that case I told you about, right?"

"How could I forget?" she whispered.

"Well, what I didn't mention was that the very next week I went to the doctor…" He paused as she shook her head in denial. "I had a vasectomy."

Amy's face contorted and more tears fell. "Why would you do that? How could you not want a family of your own?"

"I wasn't bringing a child into this world – even before it fell apart. Not with my job and getting shot at every other week, or with sick people like that guy on the loose. I've always been Uncle Steve. I liked it more that way…"

Then, it clicked. "So you knew this whole time that the baby wasn't yours…and you waited until now to tell me?"

"I'm so sorry—"

"_What the hell's the matter with you?"_ she burst, pinning him with a furious glare.

"I love you…Amy. I'm in love with you."

Immediately, she was quiet. She swallowed hard and felt the tears well up again. "You're not making this easier…"

"Do you think this is easy for me? Do you? Because I was in this for the long haul, and then to find out that you're pregnant and _know_ that it's not mine… I have to make it right, Amy. It _kills_ me to say this, but you need to be with Rick."

"If I tell you that I love you, too – will it change anything?"

His nostrils flared and she saw his jaw clench, but he shook his head sadly.

"So this is it, then?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Steve cleared his throat and took a deep breath before sending her a sidelong look. "It is." His bottom lip trembled a little bit and he worried it with his tongue, perhaps trying to hide how upset he really was at that moment.

"When are you leaving?" Her words hung in the air, which smelled of sex and heartache.

"In the morning. My bags are packed…" he said, pointing to a pair of duffel bags in his dark closet.

Amy tried not to act like her world was crumbling. Her eyes darted around the room, but she couldn't see, couldn't focus. Steve touched her cheek and tried to hold her gaze.

"Rick will take care of you. I've seen the way he looks at you…it's the same way I do – he'd never let anything happen to you or the baby."

"Will you come back to visit?" _Will I ever see you again?_

"I…don't think…that's a good idea…" he responded, as if every word had to be wrenched from his throat.

"So you're saying goodbye… Forever." she stated, hardly keeping herself from falling apart right there.

A shimmer of sadness showed in Steve's eyes as he gazed at Amy. Very gently, he curled his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. The feel of his warm skin against her cheek and the realization that this was one of the last times he would hold her – ever – was her undoing. She convulsed, her shoulders shuddering with every unbearable clench of her shredded heart. She wept quietly, trying desperately to hide her pain from him, but the tremors wracking her body were obvious enough. Steve hugged her closer and kissed the top of her head as dampness flooded his own eyes.

"I love you so much, babe. I hate to leave…but it's just what needs to happen. You know that, right?" he said, cradling her wet cheek in his hand as he urged her to look at him.

Miserably, she nodded. She didn't like it at all, but she understood.

They spent the rest of the night and early morning in each other's arms: talking, cuddling, making love. She knew the latter probably wasn't the best idea – her heart already hurt beyond belief, but if this was his last night in Alexandria, they were going to spend it together in every possible way.

When gray morning light crept through the closed blinds, Steve left Amy sleeping in his large bed, took a quick shower, and gathered the last of his things. The click of his door shutting jumped her awake. With hazy eyes and a foggy head, she glanced around the room. She saw the empty space next to her and his bags missing from the closet. Sudden panic clawed at her heart and threatened to suffocate her. She threw herself out of the bed, redressed in a series of jerky movements, and rushed outside. Steve was walking down the sidewalk, one bag slung over his shoulder, the other hanging from his opposite hand.

"Steve!" she yelled, unsure if she could even utter his name, and ran toward him.

With his back to her, he froze, dropped his bags, and then turned around as she jumped into his arms. It knocked the breath from his chest with an 'oomph,' but he wrapped her up in his strong embrace. His lips came crashing down onto hers, summarizing their short, yet passionate, relationship in one fiery kiss.

After a few moments, she asked, "What am I supposed to tell people?"

Steve cleared his throat and stared into her stormy blue eyes. "That I left you and broke your heart. That's pretty much the truth, right?"

She shook her head. "No…well, yes, but it will make them think badly of you when it's not like that at all."

"I don't care what they think about me. You're the one staying, so it's your reputation I'm worried about."

Amy gave him a sad smile. "I don't care about that, either."

"You should." He paused and she saw his Adam's apple bob as he fought the lump in his throat. "Go be with Rick, be a family. You deserve it."

Amy gritted her teeth and pushed down the tears. Breathing hard, she bit back a goodbye and simply whispered, "I love you."

Steve's lips twitched into a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. "I love you, too."

He leaned down to give her one last sinfully sweet kiss and then left her standing alone in the quiet street.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This is it! The final chapter! Thank you to my always fantastic reviewers: angelicedg, rocknrollprincess131, mrsreedus69, WishfulThinker66, and lollipop2404. Hopefully, you all will be satisfied with this ending. Thanks again for your support! :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Rick watched the kiss play out before him. He happened to be passing by his living room window with a cup of coffee and caught sight of Amy and Steve wrapped up in a very intimate embrace. He hardly noticed that the hot mug was scalding his hand – the real burn was located in his chest. It looked like Steve was going somewhere, probably scouting or training new security for the Hilltop. Rick would be duped, imagining that he and Amy were an exclusive couple in a normal relationship, only to have Steve come back and fuck it up – more like fuck _her_.

Rick let out a quiet growl-like grunt and turned away. He loved Amy but he couldn't do this anymore. It hurt too much. He wanted her all for himself, but could see that her feelings for Steve ran deep, and the feeling was surely mutual, based on their behavior only moments before. This baby needed two parents – not three. He searched for an answer to that dilemma, but came up empty handed. For the sake of, well, all of them, this needed to end.

He had to let her go.

* * *

Amy returned home in a blur of tears. She'd taken her things from Steve's house. She supposed it wasn't even his anymore. Just the thought of him leaving made her sick to her stomach. It hadn't really sunken in yet. She was sad, though – that much was obvious. She tried to hide it as she crept into the house that she shared with her cousin. There was no sign of Lauren, and that brought her much relief, but it was short-lived.

"You're back early. Steve didn't want to feed you?" Lauren said from the bathroom doorway in a teasing manner that only family could get away with.

Amy didn't trust herself to talk. She merely shrugged and offered her cousin a shadow of a smile, trying to hide her tear-stained face. Unfortunately, Lauren was too observant.

"Woah, Cuz, are you okay?"

Whispering, Amy said, "Steve left. He moved to the Hilltop."

"_He left?_ What about _you?_ That man adores you! He seriously just up and left?" Lauren asked, her voice accusing and angry.

Amy nodded and shifted her defeated shoulders. She hated to make him look bad, but it was what he'd had asked of her, and her broken heart couldn't provide an alternate response.

Lauren crossed the hallway and they hugged. Amy sniffled, appreciating the act of comfort. Suddenly, a knock broke them apart.

"I'll get it," Lauren said. "Why don't you go and take a hot shower? Then we can figure out how to spend our day and cheer you up."

Amy attempted a smile and waited for moment to see who was at the door. Peeking around the corner, she saw that it was Rick. He looked incredibly handsome in his uniform, but upon closer inspection she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and lines of fatigue engraved into his face. She heard him ask for her, but Lauren told him to come back later.

Sighing, Amy stepped into the hallway and walked to the door. Rick began to smile when he saw her, but it faded when he took in her upset expression. Lauren made herself scarce as the couple stood a few feet apart from each other.

"We need to talk," Rick said, awkwardly resting his hands on his gun belt.

"Yeah, we do," she responded.

He rubbed his scratchy cheek and gestured with an upturned hand. "We've been through a lot together. You know how I feel about you, and I've loved every moment we've spent together…"

A sinking feeling gripped Amy's gut. _Where the hell is he going with this?_

"But what we're doing isn't natural." He glanced at her stomach. "This baby needs to be surrounded by a stable environment, and right now we don't have that. There's no way for us to prove who the actual father is…so I'm thinking that either one of us will have to be enough. I can see that Steve cares about you, and I know that you care about him."

"Rick, Steve's gone."

"Yeah, I saw you two this morning. When he gets back, I think you two need to carry on, and just forget about me. I can't do this anymore…"

Amy's head was spinning. Rick sounded like he was just spouting off whatever he needed to say to end their relationship, but his heart wasn't behind it – it _couldn't_ be.

"Rick, please—"

"Amy, I _have_ to do this. I've never been the type to concede, and it may not seem like it but I'm trying to do the right thing. Please, try to understand."

Amy shook her head and narrowed her eyes at him. "_Rick,_ I—"

"Nothing you can say will change my mind. I've given this a lot of thought. It may sound ridiculous, but I'm doing this because—"

Before he could say anymore, Amy stepped over the threshold and grabbed his face between her hands. She slanted her mouth over his and kissed him with every ounce of love in her body. In that single kiss, she gave herself to him – body, mind and soul.

Pulling away, she whispered, "The baby's yours."

Rick pinned her with a glare. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying, Rick. Steve left. For good. He can't have children, which means…"

"You're carrying my child," he finished, sounding breathless, as if it just hit him.

Amy gave Rick an uplifting smile and then kissed him again. "I love you. I always have."

He released a shuddering gasp of air and she could feel him trembling beneath her hands. "I love you, too. I've wanted to say that for so long. Please forget about everything I just said. I was trying to do the honorable thing, and I couldn't stand not being the only man in your life."

"Well, you don't need to think about that anymore." Even though she was still saddened by Steve's absence, she said with confidence, "You're my man, Rick. You always will be. No matter what."

* * *

Later on, Rick held Amy as they lay in bed, his hand skimming over her low belly.

"I still can't believe it," he whispered into the darkness of his bedroom.

"I hope that's a good thing," she replied, and settled her hand over his, interlacing their fingers.

Rick let out a breath and smiled. "Absolutely. For the first time in a while, I'm excited about something. I wasn't sure about all of this at first – Alexandria – but now I have you and this baby. I'm a little afraid to say it, but I think we actually have a future here."

Amy mirrored his smile. "Me, too.

Hesitantly, he said, "I know you're still upset about Steve. I want you to know that I understand. You aren't going to move on from something like that overnight."

"It's hard to be sad when I have someone so wonderful that takes my breath away every single day," she replied, kissing his prickly cheek.

A playful gleam danced in Rick's baby blues as he studied her delicate features. Suddenly, he asked, "Does your cousin know you're here?"

Amy bit her lip. "She saw me kiss you on the porch. She said she had a hunch all along that we'd end up together."

Rick chuckled. "Are we that obvious?"

"Well, when you jump someone at work and barely have enough time to get dressed before someone else shows up, it tends to make people suspicious," she said, giggling.

"I'll have to keep you in my bed, then. How do you feel about handcuffs?" he asked with a wink.

_And eight months later, when their son was born, Amy said to Rick, "Guess you're not the only man in my life anymore."_

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I'll be continuing to update deleted scenes for Solace, so watch for those! :)**

**~Ariel**


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